April i, iSga.J THr T»=tOPICAL AQRICULTORIST. 
UTidiftputable fant, for I coneider that whrn the Pereco 
district become thefield of a bu^y cRricultural ind rsiy, 
the town of La Merced with the connection to San 
Lnis will then become an important trading centre. 
This portion of the valley ifl under no .system of 
cultivation, being in fact still in a state of natural wild- 
ness. 
The river bank*, unlike the upper portion of tlie 
valley, rise rather abruptly from the water to an 
average height of 250 feet, where there exists a largo 
expanse of rich undulating land presenting similarly 
favourable conditions to those of the distiict already 
described and in my opinion only awaiting develop- 
ment by the skilled pUntor. 
San Luis, at which place is a convent of six years* 
standing, is situated on the banks of the I'auoartambo 
river, about 7 miles above the juoctioo of that river 
with the Cbanohamayo, and In a district possessing 
many excellent conditions favourable to tropical agri- 
culture ; giving, however, only an indication of that 
vast expanse of land selected jour (Jommissiomrs 
upon which it is now my intention to report. 
Leaving 8m Lnis and crossing the Paucartambo by 
the Buspeuston bridge erected by the Government of 
Peru^ the land now entered upon has, I understand, 
been selected by the iato expedition of Basque farmers, 
which territory bss rtceivtd my attention in a atparate 
report. This block of land as shown on my map 
accompanying this report is bound* d on the East by 
the river Eiiouo, from which point I would now direct 
your attention. 
Thk PhiiKEN Vaelev. 
Laud selected by CommishionerB as indicated on the 
map extending from the river Kueno (1,700 tect) to the 
Cascades 050 feet elevation) and to a distance of 10 
leagutB or jjO miles on either side of the Pereue. 
Average temperature taken in the shade during the 
month of August, maximum 87^^, minimum Faht. 
Average estimated ranilall 86 inches. 
In treating on the region of the Pereci6 it is my 
intention to adopt the method hitherto observed in 
my report ; but I may be permitted in the first place 
to make some reference to the route taken by the 
Commissioners, and otherwise to summariie the con- 
ditions under which the journey was accomplished. 
Arriving on the night of the 27th July, at the junc- 
tion of the rivera Perene and Eneuo, it was decided 
wo should remain until arraugemeuts could be made 
with the Chauchoo Indians lor our trip down tbo 
river. After repc-itod disappointmeots during a stay 
of eight days in the house of an Indian King, Choceery 
by name, we were at last provided with four “BalsaB’* 
or rafts, upon which our entire Company, consisting 
of 15 persons, embarked on a venturesome voyage to 
the Cascades. Tho downward journey occupied two 
days and the retorn six days. 
The Peroud river is of considerable importance, 
having many tributaries, some of which, arising at 
considerable distances inland, issuo from rucb districts 
as the Chanchamayo, Acobamba and Paucartambo 
valleys, as also from tbo regions drained by the 
Qjlorado, Eneno and Piobana rivers. The volume of 
water is large and the quality fairly good. 
The average breadth is about 75 yards, although 
in some places it extends to about 120 yards. 
Tho average depth I compute to be about 3^ feet, 
while the average rate of speed I reckon to be about 
3 to 3^ miles per hoar, more or leas affected according 
to the oontraotod or expanded area between its banks. 
From the Eoono the river’s course runs first east, 
then south-east, and afterwards east as far as the 
Cascades, at which point it turns almost due north for 
a short distance. 
Tbo river in its oourse from the Eneuo to the.Cascades, 
ft district of <10 miles, embraces some of the finest 
Boeuery I have yet witnessed, the banks being clothed 
to the water edge with luxuriaut foliage, while the 
landscape of undulating laud is much relieved by an 
occasional tree in lull flower, making the whole tcene 
®De of unsurpassed beauty and grandeur. 
Leaving tho Eneno, and for a distance of about 10 
miles down, tbo general tendency of tho banks is 
precipitous, the promontories rising to a height of 
111 
about 250 feet ; but below this and to within tour miles 
of the Cascades, the character of tho banks resembles 
very closely the beautiful slopes of the Ohanohamayo 
in their most favonrable situstions 
^Vhile there are several smailer steamers running 
iuto the Pererd, thoee of more importauce are res- 
pectivoly the Piobano, Qiiimiri and Ipuji. 
It is of importance to krow that to all appearauco 
the river does not overflow the banka to any extent 
disadvantageous to probable cultivation. 
As n :ay be imagined from the wild country through 
which wc passed, many difficulties had to be enoountered 
and overcome; but the baits enable me to make 
several separate excursions into the initrior wli«-re I 
bad opportuuities of examining minutely the flora, 
soil, and land generally, and from these 1 gathered 
my ipformatiou and facts. 
Tt 18 tece8.sary to explain here that were unable to 
th< roughly explore the Cascades io consrquence 
of the Indians having decamped up the rirer 
with our “ Balsas *' and provisions while we were 
in the act of inspecting the neigbbonrhood. That 
portion of the Oascades visited was, however, Buthoieut 
to my purposes, and convinced mo that this part of 
the river is the only obstacle to free navigalioo, and 
that in its present condition it would certainly be a 
barrier to an outlet by water eastwards. lam of opin- 
ion, however, that a roadway or tramway could be laid 
down, conveyii'g, if neccisary, tho produce to a navi- 
gable portion lurtber down the river, although railway 
communication from this district via Tarroa to the 
coa^t would be a more effloient system. 
Wet scBsoo extending from latter end of October 
to middle of June; dry weather from Jane to October. 
Having treated at some considerable it-ngtb npon he 
climate of this ?.one, taking the thanchamay* Val ey 
as representative of wbst exists over all, more or it as 
changed according to elevations and rainfall, X may 
but summarize the«o outstanding conditions with special 
application to this district. 
The climate is certainly tropical, but has none of 
those unhealthy indications pertaining to most tro- 
pical countries. A better estimate may be formed of 
ihe climate when 1 state that from an experience of 
the tropics extending over 10 years, I can positively 
state that it surparses even tho climate of Ueyloo at 
such parts as are at similar altitudes. 
The Indians who inhabit this tegioo are fit and 
typical representatives of the salubrity of the climate. 
They show uo signs of malaria or o>her tropical 
complaints, and aro of exo* ptionally healthy 
constitution and manly physique, and live to a con- 
siderable old age. The atmohpbere is particularly 
free of any objectionable odours nrising fiom stagnant 
matter; and while, no doubt, a European may, through 
unguarded and reckless exposure, induce an attack of 
fever, it is my unbiased and firm conviction, snp- 
ported by my own experiences, that the wtole region 
offers snob climatic conditions as would amply justify 
my recommending the appointment of European 
Managers over any agricultural entorprise. 
Tho average rainfall 1 estimate at 86 inches per 
annum, a figure which, from the typo of flora found, 
I would say is ofien exceeded ; the most easterly 
limit being about 10 Inches in excess of tills estimate. 
Another important feature of the climate of this 
region, and one favourable to a uniform degree of 
cultivation, is that, at no lime does a condition ap- 
proaching to severe drought occur, although like every 
district visited it has its periods of wet and dry 
weather. The Obanohoo Indians, from whom I re- 
peatedly elicited suob facts, assured me of this; but 
I desired from personal knowlodgo to verify these 
statements, and ou examination of the flora found 
Buflicient confl matlou in the great variety of Lycopo- 
claceouB plants growing upon exposed *’ocky sitaattons 
supported only by a thin film of soil. These, 1 need 
hardly state, could not exist unless under such ciroum- 
^^()f*^aimo8t equal importonce to the planter is the 
fact that the district is not wind blown. 
I trust that I have oonclusively shown from facts 
gatheicd, that the climate is one exceptionally favour- 
